Former NHL player, assistant coach and head coach joins Muller behind the bench

RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has hired John MacLean as an assistant coach. MacLean joins Head Coach Kirk Muller and Assistant Coaches Dave Lewis, Rod Brind’Amour and Tom Barrasso in the team’s coaching offices.
“I’m very pleased to add another character leader to our coaching staff,” said Rutherford.

MacLean, 47, spent nine seasons as a coach in the New Jersey Devils organization, including seven years as an assistant coach. The Oshawa, Ont., native served as head coach of the Lowell Devils of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2009-10, leading the Devils’ affiliate to its best-ever record and first-ever playoff berth. He was named head coach of the New Jersey Devils prior to the 2010-11 season, but was replaced 33 games into his first season as an NHL head coach.

MacLean is the Devils’ all-time franchise leader with 347 goals, and ranks second in New Jersey franchise history with 701 points. He was a teammate of current Hurricanes Head Coach Kirk Muller with New Jersey and Dallas, as well as with Canada at the 1984 World Junior Championship and the 1989 IIHF World Championship.